Getting Permission for Awesome Locations

[Infamous Nina Nightshade]

Ok, ladies & gents... I'm wondering what's the best way to get places to let you use their spaces for photo shoots? For example, the Elsinore Theater here in town has some awesome little spaces & backdrops for a fun pin-up shoot (or seven), but I don't know the first thing about how to professionally ask them to let me and my photog use it.
What is the usual protocol or what has worked for you? Can I tell them we'd be willing to let them use it for marketing if they wanted to?
I don't want them to just roll their eyes at me when I ask...
Thanks for the help!
Nina

[Mimi First]

This can be tricky. It help to have something to offer the venue. If you have a good relationship with the photographer you can sometimes offer to shoot the space on it's own and give them a disk of the images for they're own promotional purposes web sites etc... Other things I've done as a thank you is purchased the people who work at the venue lunch and had it delivered the day of the shoot. For the cost of two pizzas you get a warm welcome and happy workers willing to show you around and allow you to use the space. Ultimately just be polite and ask nicely but be prepared to get a No.

[Infamous Nina Nightshade]

Thanks for the pointers, Mimi... We'll see what they say!